Parental Guidance
by foxgloves
Summary: It was always a possibility that Jiraiya had fathered a few children in his travels. He never knew she existed; Kagome's been looking for him for years. When she finds herself in Konoha, a struggle to get to know each other ensues. DRABBLE-SERIES
1. One Thing

**Summary: It was always a possibility that Jiraiya had fathered a few children in his travels. He never knew she existed; Kagome's been looking for him for years. When she finds herself in Konoha, a struggle to get to know each other ensues. DRABBLE-SERIES**

**A/N: **I have way too many stories on the go to start a new one, so shame on me, but I've had this idea in my head for a long time. It's just something silly and light, so if you're looking for something with a lot of plot... maybe go elsewhere, heh. :sweatdrop:

I hope you're not too impatient and will give this small series of drabbles a chance to really get going. If anyone is curious about Kagome's age, she's quite young right now, and the first 8 or so chapters are a bit of a prologue if the story were to be constructed in the normal sense, so it might take some time before other characters start making their debuts. That is is the glory of drabbles though. I can post them relatively quickly. :sparkle:

Well, here it goes.

* * *

**One Thing**

Kagome didn't exactly know why it was that her mama never talked about her father. Surely, she was too young to understand anyways, but there was this certain sadness in her eyes and Kagome wondered if him leaving was what made her that way. Still, from time to time, curiosity got the best of her.

"What was Daddy like?"

Her mother's fingers stilled in the midst of braiding her long hair. "Now, Kagome…" she chided gently, "You know I don't like to talk about him much. He left us, you know."

"Can you just tell me one thing? Please?" the young girl begged.

The older woman sighed heavily. "He had a strange affinity for toads."


	2. Cling On

**Cling On**

"Kagome! It's raining! Come inside or you're going to catch a cold!"

Pausing in the midst of puddle-jumping, she turned to where Mama hovered on the stoop of their small house. "Just a couple more minutes?"

Her mother shook her head in resignation and disappeared inside. The young girl drooped. _Maybe I should go in. _She made one last swish in the murky puddle with her boot, stopping short when something croaked with displeasure.

"What was that for, kid?"

Kagome danced awkwardly on one foot, eyes popping open wide at the spotty frog that clung to her and was glaring impressively. "Y-You're… talking!" she gasped.


	3. True Toad

**True Toad**

The frog bounced off of her boot and Kagome dropped to her knees in spite of the mud, leaning in so close they were nose to… did frogs have noses?

"Frogs don't talk!" she pointed out with bewilderment.

"Not a frog. A _toad." _he grumbled matter-of-factly.

"Aren't they the _same?" _she wanted to know.

The _toad_ didn't deign her with a response and merely began hopping away without so much as a goodbye. "Wait!" Kagome exclaimed, scrambling after it.

"_What_?" he huffed with impatience, "I got places to be kid."

Kagome blinked raindrops out of her eyes and scooped the toad up who croaked and squirmed in her grasp. "Kid, let me go! You're squeezing me to death!"

"How can you talk?" she questioned.

"All toads can talk. Just not all humans can _hear._" he informed her in a lofty tone.

Eyebrows shooting up, Kagome whispered softly like a secret. "My dad could talk to toads."

The toad's expression took on an intrigued quality at her admission. "Who's your dad, kid?" he asked, only to recoil when her bright eyes dulled.

Kagome shrugged with a sad, lop-sided smile. "I don't know. Mama just says he liked toads."

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**A/N:** When I was writing this, I was actually curious if frogs and toads were the same. With a little bit of research I came to this conclusion: frogs are what come to mind when people think about frogs. Toads are what come to mind when people think about toads... hence the chapter title. Make sense? Of course not. :laugh:


	4. Parallels

**Parallels**

The rain persisted… and so did the toad. In spite of himself, he was curious about the girl so he lingered. She bore no great resemblance to the Toad Sage, except for maybe her eyes. The toad, Kachi, being his name although he hadn't revealed that bit of information to her just yet, knew the man to be quite the pervert. Who knew how many illegitimate children he'd fathered in his travels? He couldn't confidently say that this girl was actually Jiraiya's offspring, but like he'd told her… not just anybody could talk to toads.

She had been drawn back inside, but continued to watch the rain slide down the glass as he lounged idly on the windowsill.

"Where are you gonna go, Toad-san?" she asked after some time.

"Mount Myoboku," Kachi answered.

Kagome sighed as her imagination whirled her away. "That sounds like a great adventure. Maybe one day I could go there, too?"

He regarded her out of the corner of his bulbous eyes. "It is not an easy place for a mere human to get to."

The young girl's nose wrinkled. "All that the girls around here care about is _boys_," she informed him with a distaste that implied she couldn't fathom why. "I just like to explore. I bet it's hard to get to because it's worth seeing."

Kachi made a noise that came out as a croak and made her giggle. Jiraiya loved girls… but his appetite for adventure had also been very great. _Like father… like daughter?_


	5. For Now

**For Now**

Kachi stayed with the girl until the rain stopped and he no longer could justify the diversion from his travels home — a total of two days. When he told her of his plans for departure she looked at him with what he deemed were the 'puppy dog eyes' and quickly rallied before he was suckered in.

"Do you really have to go, Toad-san?" she asked with a gusty sigh, posturing as she rested her chin over-top her crossed arms on the windowsill.

He nodded strictly. "I should have been back already, kid."

"Will I ever see you again?"

The toad thought about that for a few silent beats. From what he gathered in their short acquaintance, the girl didn't seem to fit in and she seemed… lonely. "It's not impossible."

She brightened, straightening up to unlatch the window and let it swing open. "Will it take you a long time to get to the mountain?"

"If I take the scenic route," he replied idly as he stretched his legs in preparation for travel. "But we have our special ways."

"Toad-san," she said with conviction, "One day I will see you again! I will travel to Mount Myobuko!"

He took the promise with him as he sprang out the window. "Right, kid. Just ask for Kachi."

"Remember me!" she called after him, "Remember, Kagome!"


	6. Death's Shadow

**Death's Shadow**

The world turned and summer faded to fall, winter and spring many times over. As the time passed, Kagome grew and it was spoken of in her small village that she had blossomed into a beautiful young lady. But still she was ever much the same. At eighteen, boys were still an alien species and she spent many of her days wandering the outskirts of the town in search of some grand adventure.

It was winter now, and as she tottered with an armful of wood into the house, making her way into the main room where she meant to stoke the dying fire, something much colder than the temperature outside chilled her.

"Mama?" she announced softly, "I got more wood…"

She was in the same place that Kagome had left her; a mass of blankets arranged around the fire. The young woman drew closer, her heart going still when she received no reply. Hastily she threw the wood on top of the waning flame, sending embers dancing in the grate, and crawled up to her side to touch her pale face gently with frozen fingertips. "Mama?"

Fear grasped her heart.

Much of Kagome's life hadn't changed since that summer many years ago. Except for one thing.

Mama was sick.

Tears stung high in her nose. _Not yet. Please not yet._

Bleary eyes slowly blinked open. Her voice rasped. "K-Kagome?"

The young woman buried her face in the blanket, relief melting her bones. She didn't have to be alone just yet. "It's me, Mama."

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A/N: Hey everyone! First and foremost, I wanted to thank everyone so much for reviewing. I was honestly surprised at the reception! You guys rock. Secondly, this little arc, if you will, is going to be shortly coming to an end, so I hope you'll continue to hang with me for a little longer. It might be a few chapters yet before Kagome meets anyone, but I just want to take the time to set things up. I'm also in the midst of re-watching Naruto _from the beginning_ because I felt like I was more than a little rusty with the details. Again, thank you all for your feedback!


	7. Silent Night

**Silent Night**

It was either very late or very early depending on how you looked at it, but Kagome remained awake tucked in beside her mother at the fireplace. A few times more she'd gotten up to replace the wood and rejuvenate the waning flame as quietly as she could muster before returning faithfully to her side.

She wondered how much time she had left before the illness finally took her Mama away. In the pervasive silence, her thoughts turned like prey caught up in spider's silk; around and around.

She wondered what she would do. Where would she go? Was she all alone now?

She wondered if her father was still alive. Could she find him if he was? Then again, who was he?

She remembered a tiny toad and a faraway mountain.


	8. Truth

**Truth**

"Mama… do you think Dad is still alive?"

Kagome didn't want to be selfish, but it was unavoidable. She hoped that her Mama understood why she was asking about him now. Part of her had to know. The woman closed her eyes as if she'd expected it and it took her a few long moments before she found words. "I always had one way to know… and that was his books. But it's been a long time since anything new has been published." She exhaled softly, seemingly trying to steady herself as she carried on. "That was how I met him. He was doing research."

After that she went very silent… and then tears began to leak out of the corners of her eyes.

Fingers trembling, Kagome touched her face, feeling them hot and wet. "Mama?" she whispered, frightened. "Mama, what's wrong? Why are you crying?"

"I'm sorry, Kagome. My precious girl." she wept quietly.

"W-Why?"

"There's a reason I haven't spoken much about your Father."

Kagome felt herself go cold and couldn't bring herself to ask why.

"It was one night and he was gone the next day. He probably doesn't even remember my name, let alone know I became pregnant with you."

The world fell away and childish hopes crumbled. All the years she had wondered about him; wondering if he ever thought about her.

_He… doesn't even know that I exist._

Kagome was grateful that heartbreak wasn't a sound that could be heard.


	9. Numb

**Numb**

It had been one of the last conversations she'd had with her Mama. The time came. She was gone, as if the truth had taken the last of her strength away. All the preparation in the world couldn't have softened the blow and all Kagome could do was weep because she truly was alone. It was many days later before she could bring herself to do anything except wander around their home like a ghost.

She came into her Mother's sparsely furnished bedroom. For no tangible reason she drifted over to the small vanity and dropped into the chair, looking at herself in the streaky mirror but not really seeing anything at all. Disengaged from the world, Kagome idly rummaged through her possessions.

In one of the drawers was a book.

Kagome brushed away the thin veil of dust and read the title blankly. Icha Icha Paradise.

She had no notion of what it could be about, but there was a man and woman on the cover and it appeared to be some sort of love story.

Flipping over the cover there was a name. An autograph, perhaps.

Jiraiya.

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**A/N**: Thank you to you all for your reviews, favs and follows. I idly realized today that is has been rather depressing so far. I promise it'll lighten up. :sweatdrop:


	10. The Grass is Greener

**The Grass is Greener**

Spring came.

It was bright and green, and the warmth on her skin made Kagome feel something again after a long, lonely winter. Like a flower she blossomed anew, reaching for the sun. She opened all of the windows and doors to air out the house. She cleaned out the closets for something to do. The spring cleaning reminded her of Mama; it was something they always did every year, and she found it didn't hurt as much anymore. A fresh start she would always say.

In one of the closets there was a lumpy, yellow knapsack.

On the porch in the crisp morning, Kagome sat on the wooden rocking chair with tea and stared out into the expansive country side. It stretched as far as the eye could see. In the distance she imagined a tall mountain that reached the sky. She wandered back into the house and went to the closet in the hall. The bag stared at her, the top flap turned back to show its empty contents.

She packed.

A blanket, clothes, and a picture of Mama; instant ramen and tea and a small pot. Other small necessities to survive on. The backpack was heavy on her shoulders, but her soul felt light.

_One more thing._

She grabbed the book.

And then she left.


	11. Rain, Rain, Go Away

**Rain, Rain, Go Away**

Kagome stopped at the other side of the bridge she'd recently crossed and sighed, feeling weary to the point that her vision blurred. Up ahead, the dirt road now resembled something more of a mud-pit thanks to the heavy rainfall that had been her only companion the last four days. Passing through would be a nightmare. Too cold, too tired and too hungry, she lamented her poor circumstances.

_Two years of this and I still think I can travel the rainy season. It takes more than a rain-hat. _She shook her head with dismay. From now on she would stay in the city until summer, then she would carry on with her aimless journey.

Looking back over her shoulder, she considered travelling back the way she'd come, but the option wasn't anymore promising. The road stretched for miles, and it was likely in the same state. Sighing heavily again, she set forth, grimacing at the mud that squelched under her boots. Every step took effort and quickly her energy flagged.

All it took was one misstep, the suction of the thick sludge too strong; the rain coming down in sheets too heavy.

Kagome slipped and didn't get back up.


	12. Unforeseen

**Unforeseen **

Through the rain, Naruto was an orange blur, seeking refuge in the tree tops as he bounded home. He regretted it somewhat now with the poor weather, but lately the village had been in such a lull, even he, the greatest ninja ever, couldn't pass up a lame D class mission just for something to do. In fact, it had been _so lame_, he had been permitted to go alone. The mission had taken him some miles out of the village to a neighboring town, and with business done he made haste to return home hoping to beat the ominous clouds, only to be captured in its dreary, wet prison.

But! _Maybe I'll get sick and catch a deadly cold and Sakura-chan can take care of me! _She would bring him hot, steaming Ichiraku's ramen in bed, and—

Mid leap, he lost traction on the slippery bark, scrambling to secure a branch and not go sailing to the forest floor.

Maybe he'd only really noticed because it seemed so out of place.

The blond boy swiped his sleeve over his eyes, blinking through water droplets that clung to his lashes.

Face down in the middle of the road was a girl.


	13. Civic Duty

**Civic Duty **

Diligently, Naruto checked for vitals. A faint pulse beat against his fingertips. _Okay, well… at least she's not dead. _But she wouldn't remain that way for long. His eyes scoured her pale face, or rather, what he could see of it, half caked in mud as it was. Her lips were blue. Rain continued to pour down around them and he knew what he had to do. He couldn't just leave her in the middle of the road.

It was awkward trying to get the gigantic yellow backpack off of her, and it wasn't long before he was covered in mud too and panting from the exertion. "_Dattebayo! _What a mess!" he muttered, lamenting his jumpsuit. Rolling her over, he hooked his arms underneath her armpits and dragged her off to the side of the road, propping her against a tree. Her head lolled and she crumpled on herself.

Standing back, he observed her. She was bigger than him, but with a little bit of a boost from chakra he could manage, he supposed. The bag would have to stay though. He pondered its significant weight. It was as if she had her whole life inside of it. Resolutely, he stashed it in a bush for safe-keeping.


	14. Cargo

**Cargo**

They were well sheltered, albeit the air was damp and had long seeped into their clothes, eliciting a chill that went right down to the bone. Honestly, their job really sucked sometimes.

Izumo was drawn out of his bitter contemplations when Kotetsu straightened up, peering hard through the rain that poured off the slanted roof. "Hey," he announced to his partner, "I think that might be Naruto coming. About time!"

They waited for the figure to draw closer, their eyebrows furrowing in unison.

"You sure that's him? He looks kind of deformed. There's a big hump on his back." Izumo remarked.

Kotetsu squinted more; then his eyebrows shot up. "That's no hump on his back. He's carrying someone!"

Both of the gate guards rushed out of their station, meeting the boy just as he passed through the gates, who collapsed in a heap that flung the girl right off his back. "Naruto!" they both exclaimed, only he was in much of the same state as his cargo. Out cold.

Izumo scratched the back of his head, not paying much heed to the downpour. "I guess we should get them to the hospital, ne?"

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**A/N**: Getting some questions. For **fofafie**: She's 20. Chapter 10 was the end of the first "arc" and I did a bit of a time-skip again, so she's been travelling for some time. For **animedeathcycle**: They'll make an appearance again. And no, I'm writing this in drabbles. It clearly states that in my summary. Sorry if you want longer ones, but it's just how I've decided to do it this time around. To make up for that, I try to post two at a time for you guys. Hopefully that's a fair deal.


	15. Worst Expectations

**Worst Expectations**

"What happened to him? Is he okay?" Iruka had barely crossed the threshold of the hospital room before questions were erupting out of his mouth, startling the nurse. He came up short when he saw the boy slumbering soundly. Relief and confusion flooded him all at once.

She gave him a mild look of censure. "He's fine." Tapping her pen against the clipboard she was holding, she elaborated. "Just looks like he used too much chakra. Nothing some bed rest won't cure."

Sidling up beside him, the Chuunin looked over Naruto with a critical eye. "Yeah… not a scratch." It didn't really add up. Obviously, he hadn't been in some kind of altercation with someone on the road. Iruka didn't suppose he'd be training in this awful weather; especially to the point of exhaustion. _What in the world happened, then?_

"According to Kotetsu and Izumo, Naruto was carrying her on his back."

"Eh?" Iruka glanced at the nurse, confused.

She swept open the white curtain that sectioned the patients off from each other. On the bed a dark-haired girl slept. "Her. Looks like he brought home a stray."

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**A/N:** Hey guys. I'll post another one or two a little later today. Thanks for all your reviews!


	16. Patience is a Virtue

**Patience is a Virtue**

Some hours later, Naruto finally awoke… to a multitude of questions from Iruka. When his stomach audibly growled, it was decided a word wouldn't be uttered until he had Ichiraku's. The academy instructor sighed and glared, but dutifully went to fetch it, and when he returned he got straight down to business. In the end, Naruto knew nothing about her.

The boy drummed his fingers on the window sill impatiently. "Man," he griped, "Is she _ever _gonna wake up?"

Iruka pinched the bridge of his nose, a headache forming between his eyes. "She needs rest, Naruto. If it's as you say, who knows how long she was unconscious on the road. Her fever is high. She was dangerously dehydrated—"

The sheets roused. Excited, Naruto rushed from the window to her bedside. Blearily, eyes blinked open and there was a groggy moan.

"Hey there!" Naruto greeted, nearly nose to nose with her.

"Naruto! You're going to scare her!" Iruka warned, half-way out of his seat with an arm outstretched to stop him.

She pitched up quickly, alarmed. There was a sickening crack that sounded like a nose breaking and suddenly Naruto was on the floor, yowling and covering his face, blood leaking through his fingers.

"_Nurse!"_


	17. Before Judgement

**Before Judgement**

A nurse hurried in at Iruka's cry for assistance and immediately began tending to Naruto. Meanwhile, he cautiously approached the bed. "It's okay…" he tried to placate her, his hands raised disarmingly. "We don't want to hurt you."

She eyed him with thinly veiled distrust, scooting away. "W-Who are you? Where am I?"

Iruka smiled pleasantly. "My name is Iruka Umino and the boy's nose you just broke is Naruto Uzumaki. You're in the hospital in Konoha."

She squeezed her eyes shut and spoke out loud to herself, seemingly recalling memories. "The bridge. It was raining. I… I must have passed out."

"That's right," Iruka nodded, "Naruto found you."

Her eyes snapped open. Her expression softened a little. "He… helped me?"

Certain that she wasn't as frightened now, Iruka gestured to the blond-haired boy. "He didn't mean to scare you… he is just a little excitable. You've been unconscious for nearly a day. What's your name, Miss?"

The young woman fiddled with the blanket. "Erm… Kagome," she peeked up at him through her lashes, leaning around him to get a look at the boy whose nose was getting cracked back into place. She winced. "Is… Naruto-kun—" she tested the name slowly, "—okay? I didn't mean hurt him."

Iruka smiled at her again. The circumstances were peculiar, indeed. He'd already lectured Naruto on the dangers of bringing strangers into the village, but she didn't seem to harbor any ill intentions. For now she deserved a fair chance. "I think he'll live, Kagome-san."

Timidly, she smiled back.

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**A/N**: Awe man, guys! I can't believe we broke over 100 reviews. Too cool. Thanks so much! :love: Sorry there was only one today.


	18. Elusive

**Elusive**

"She _needs _to rest.'

Both of Kagome's new acquaintances were shooed out of the room, the nurse following after them, and when she found herself alone, her current prospects settled in with heavy clarity. Sighing, she fell back against her pillow and stared up at the ceiling. She still felt rather bad about Naruto's nose, but she'd been so out of sorts waking up. Iruka seemed genuinely kind, and he looked at her like he wanted to see something good, but there was a wariness that she wondered about. _He's going against his instincts somehow… even though I don't mean any harm._

Unsure of what to do until the nurse came back, Kagome thought she would finally flip open that…perverted book—she blushed a little bit. She'd only managed to read a few passages here and there, but always found her ears burning when she did and abandoned the idea. _Surely Dad… _well, she didn't really _know _if this Jiraiya was _him, _but she had this inexplicable feeling… _wouldn't write something so trashy. Honestly, what a pervert!_

She looked around the room, expecting to find her bag, only to notice its absence.

Her stomach dropped.

Seemingly, it was gone, along with anything she held of any value.

Kagome squeezed her eyes shut and tried not to cry.

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A/N: Hey everyone. As always, thanks for your kind words. My apologies that updates have slowed down a little, but I'm just having a busy week with school. Come the weekend you'll see some more. I'll try to squeeze another one out tonight as I work on my project.


	19. Vagrant

**Vagrant**

Naruto kept glancing back over his shoulder as he and Iruka made their way to the Hokage Tower so he could deliver his report to Tsunade.

"Are you worried about her?" Iruka asked, slightly marvelling at how easily he and the girl seemed to make a connection.

Naruto shrugged. "I think she can take care of herself," he admitted, "I'm just worried about her bag."

"Her bag?"

"Yeah. When I found her, she had this giant yellow backpack," Naruto gestured to show the older man the size.

Iruka bobbed his head, not exactly sure why it mattered. "And you're worried why?"

Naruto's lips turned down slightly. "It was really heavy… like she carries everything in it. Her whole life. Iruka-sensei… I don't think Kagome-chan has a home."


	20. Looking Out

**Looking Out**

After reporting to Tsunade, Naruto was quick to escape the room. He didn't say where he was going, however Iruka had an idea and smiled knowingly.

Tsunade quirked an eyebrow. "What's his hurry? Normally he hangs around longer to harass me."

Iruka chuckled. "If I had to guess, I'd say he's heading back to the hospital."

"Why?" she asked curiously.

He recounted the events of the last day. By the end of the tale, Tsunade had her chin propped in her hand, looking thoughtful. "What do you think of her? Should we be skeptical?"

Iruka thought about Naruto's troubled life. It wasn't often that he made friends so easily. Maybe it was because he'd taken it upon himself to look out for the boy that his opinion was swayed, or maybe it was because it was true and he didn't need to lie.

"No," he said confidently.


	21. Some Company

**Some Company**

Kagome didn't quite recall drifting off, but a tapping noise on the edge of her awareness roused her out of her light doze. Blinking, she glanced around until her eyes were drawn to the window. Outside, Naruto's whiskered face smiled back at her and he waved.

Gingerly, she left the bed and wandered to the glass, smiling back wryly. _He's visiting me._ The latch on the window was old and unused, and it took a minute of struggling before she could open it.

"The sun's out!" he exclaimed without preamble, vaulting himself into the room.

"It is!" she replied with a giggle at his enthusiasm.

"Are they gonna let you out soon?"

Kagome nodded. "Tomorrow." _And then what? _she wondered.

"Good!" he exulted, "'cause we gotta go find your bag!"


	22. Hero

**Hero**

"My bag?" Kagome breathed.

Naruto grinned and confirmed, "That's right, Kagome-chan! I stashed it for you; we just have to go find it!"

Just to be certain, she pressed, "A big and yellow one?"

He nodded insistently. "_Definitely_ big and yellow! _Huge, _actually. Dattebayo—how do you carry that thing? You're so little you're going to break your back—"

Unexpectedly, the young woman enveloped him in an embrace. "_Thank you," _she whispered reverently, finding it ironic how her heart ached even as it swelled with rapture. "You don't know how much that means to me, Naruto-kun."

Naruto blinked, hesitating before he shyly wrapped his arms around her. All his life people had shied away, alienated him, and yet here was a girl who was hugging him with everything she had.


	23. Debt

**Debt**

The nurse scribbled some notes down on her clipboard and with a smile to the young woman announced, "Well, Kagome-san looks like your stay with us is over. Sign your release waiver and you're free to go."

Taking the pen she provided, Kagome signed her name with a flourish… and a frown.

"Is something wrong?" the nurse asked, seemingly noticing her change in demeanor.

"Um… the fee," Kagome lamented guiltily, "I have no money to pay for it."

The nurse nodded delicately, touching her shoulder and drawing her gaze up. "Let me see what I can do."


	24. Konoha 101

Just because I've had some… nudges, I'm posting this as a **reminder**.

In the context of writing, a drabble is "an extremely short work of fiction of exactly one hundred words in length." Chapter 23 is the only chapter thus far where I've actually succeeded with those parameters, so I'm bending the rules a little bit and allowing myself up to 300. Furthermore, the purpose of a drabble is "brevity, testing the author's ability to express interesting and meaningful ideas in an extremely confined space."

I hate to discourage anyone from reading Parental Guidance, however, I'm adopting a **don't like, don't read** policy. It's not changing. Like I mentioned a few chapters ago, I **try **to post 2 at a time for you guys. As always, thank you to everyone who takes the time to leave a word.

* * *

**Konoha 101**

As they walked, or rather dilly-dallied, in Naruto's impatient opinion, he couldn't help but notice Kagome's wide eyes as they drifted through the crowds. He didn't know where she was from, however his companion looked like she'd never stepped foot in society before.

Naturally, he asked. "Haven't you ever been in a city?"

Kagome hurried her gait to catch up with him. "A couple," she said, adding, "Sorry that I'm dawdling. There's a lot to look at. I'm curious about something."

"What is it?" Naruto wanted to know, glancing around in search of what had caught her eye. As usual, the streets of Konoha bustled the way that they always did. He found nothing out of place and quirked an eyebrow.

Crouching down, Kagome tapped the headband that spread across his forehead. "These," she stated. "Some people wear them and some don't. I noticed that Iruka-san wore one too. What does it mean?"

"_Kagome-chan," _Naruto gawked, almost scandalized, "You've never seen a shinobi before?"

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**PS - **fofafie: Soon!


	25. Detour

**Detour**

"Shinobi?"

Naruto bobbled his head energetically. "Uh-huh! Konoha isn't just any village! We have our normal civilians, sure, but truly this is a shinobi village; the greatest and most powerful of all the shinobi nations!"

Amused by his excited chatter, Kagome clapped her hands together. "Amazing! You must be the strongest shinobi then, ne?" she winked.

"Not yet," he replied seriously, but there was a sparkle in his eye. "Don't doubt it, though! One day I will be the Hokage."

"Hokage?"

Naruto crossed his arms sagely. "The Hokage is the leader of the village; the strongest _and_ the most respected shinobi. Right now that's Tsunade-baachan."

Kagome blanched. "You call the leader of your village an old lady?"

"Eh… nevermind! Come on!" Naruto snatched her hand and pulled her along, took a few steps and then stopped.

"What's the matter?" Kagome questioned. _We're really not making much progress here… _she thought with an inward sigh. By the time they left the village, traveled however many miles, _hopefully_ secured her pack… well she couldn't fathom how long it would take.

Naruto toed the ground, looking very sheepish. "I uh… kinda forgot I had to do something today…"

Kagome blinked at him. "Oh. Er… what's that, Naruto-kun?"

He pulled out a green pouch from his pocket that to her delight was in the shape of a frog. Opening it up, he scanned its contents and sighed heavily. "All the Genin have to buy our sensei's lunch today."


	26. Grapevine

**Grapevine**

_Naruto… _Sakura drummed her fingers impatiently on the wooden table and sighed for the umpteenth time. Usually it was Kakashi-sensei that was hours late, but even he was here and _that_ was a miracle in itself. "Where _is_ he?" she groused.

"Can't we just go ahead without him? I'm starving!" Choji lamented.

"No way!" Sakura declared to the members of the Rookie Nine, now eight, who all had varying degrees of boredom etched on their faces. "He's not going get out of having to help us pay for lunch!"

Their mentors didn't seem to mind so much, chatting amongst themselves. Iruka had been invited to the outing as well, as he had been their instructor once upon a time, and it was him who suddenly chuckled.

"What's so funny, Iruka-sensei?" Sakura grumbled. "Do you know where that knucklehead is?"

"Oh… with a girl," Iruka remarked nonchalantly. The concession drew the attention of all the females in their party. They all closed in on him and he raised his hands to ward them off.

"What are you talking about?!" Ino demanded.

"Who?!" Sakura wanted to know.

"A g-girl, Iruka-sensei… R-really?" Hinata stuttered.

A lazy looking eye peeked over the pages of Icha Icha Paradise.


	27. Center Stage

**Center Stage**

Kakashi couldn't decide if he was impressed… or skeptical. Naruto out with a girl? The idea was laughable. Everyone knew he was in love with Sakura, as juvenile as it was at his age, and he was woefully ignorant of Hinata's crush on him. His skills as a shinobi had improved, however anything to do with the female persuasion he was still _seriously_ lacking.

It was like… Gai having a girlfriend.

He cringed at the thought. _Very wrong. _

Sakura and Ino were still interrogating Iruka, who had changed tunes and was now tight-lipped. His pink-haired pupil rolled her eyes. "Well, then, I guess we'll just go on without him since he's _too busy—"_

Right then, the entrance of the restaurant nearly blew off its hinges with Naruto's appearance. "I'm here! I'm here! Sorry I'm late!" They all watched quizzically as he seemingly remembered something and scampered back outside.

"C'mon, Kagome-chan~! Don't be shy!"

Slowly, Kakashi tucked his book away. _We'll I'll be. _He tipped back in his chair to idly watch the proceedings. Entertainment was entertainment; even if it was a soap-opera starring twelve year olds.

The young boy held out his hands, clasping dainty appendages in his and gently tugging her inside.

Asuma choked on his water.

Kurenai mumbled a surprised, "Oh."

Kakashi's chair wobbled and he crashed to the floor.

* * *

**A/N: **Everyone is so sweet. Thank you for supporting the story! I'll post another one later today; time for work!


	28. First Impression

**First Impression**

Naruto stood on his tip-toes, spying a place where they could make room for themselves at the long table. "Ah, there's a spot! Ooooh, right beside Sakura-chan! Come and sit! I'll introduce you to everyone!"

He accidentally stepped on his mentor's head. "Ne, Kakashi-sensei… why are you on the floor?"

The young woman hesitantly trailed after her exuberant companion. _Why is everyone staring… _she wondered uneasily. No one had really even noticed when the silver-haired man had fallen off his chair. _They're the vultures and I'm the roadkill._ Before passing by him, she bent at the waist, hands on her knees. "Are you okay?"

One eye blinked up at her.

_Weird guy… I wonder why he wears a mask. _Still, she should try to make friends. Holding out a hand, she smiled. "Here, I'll help you up."

He took the hand that she offered and she hauled him to his feet. He awkwardly coughed. "Yes, uh… thank you."

"Sure!" she chirped, lightly slapping the sides of her thighs with a nervous laugh. _Everyone is still staring… _She glanced around; the walls; the book on the floor. "Oh, this must be yours," she remarked, crouching to pick it up. Turning it over, she paused.

Icha Icha Paradise. Her eyebrow twitched.

_Weird… and a pervert. _

Spotting Iruka, the only other face she knew, Kagome met the tall stranger's eye one last time, shoving the book quickly into his hands before she scurried away.

* * *

**A/N:** Get to work… and apparently I don't work. Best day ever, yay! Also… :bow: Not that all of you aren't important, 'cause you are, but… KibaSin reviewed my story. Such an honour! T-T


	29. Under the Microscope

**Under the Microscope**

Iruka leaned in when she stiffly seated herself. "I apologize for everyone… I'm afraid it's my fault."

"What do you mean?" she queried, confused. Catching Naruto's eye, he grinned at her and she tentatively smiled back, twiddling her fingers at him in a small wave. The snapping of everyone's eyes following the exchange was a _zing_ in her ears.

"I might've alluded that he was on a date," he explained sheepishly.

Kagome's eyes popped open. "Eh…?" she squeaked. Pointing at the boy, she protested, "How could they think that? I'm too… old!"

"_I knew it!" _A young boy rose from his seat and slapped the table. "As if that spazz could get a girlfriend! Especially an older one!"

"What'd you say, Kiba?!" Naruto stood up too, fist raised. "Wait." He looked at Iruka, then around at everyone else. "You _all_ think me and Kagome-chan were on a date?"

Kagome slid down in her seat. Iruka patted her shoulder. "I'm sorry," he consoled sincerely, "but… Naruto just needs the validation sometimes."

Surrounded by all these people and the center of attention, Kagome had to wonder why, but settled on, "You need a hobby. He looks plenty popular to me."

Iruka cast a gentle look in the boy's direction that she didn't fail to notice. "It's a long story."


	30. Rose Colored Glasses

**Rose Colored Glasses**

A formal introduction was made by Iruka and lunch was underway. A name didn't mean much to anyone, though. Kagome's appearance in Konoha hadn't been explained; especially her association with Naruto, but everyone was welcoming enough. There were too many names to remember, being introduced to such a large group at once, but Kagome smiled through it.

Elbows propped up on the table and her chin cradled in her palms, she let her eyes wander from person to person. More than once she stole a look at the silver-haired man—Kakashi—if she remembered correctly. Feeling a nudge at her side, Kagome drew herself out of her musings. "Hm?"

It was a young pink-haired girl. Sakura, she recalled. The girl had warmed up to her quickly… after she'd stopped glaring daggers. Kagome smiled wryly.

"You keep looking at Kakashi-sensei," she hedged innocently, but the inflection in her tone was telling.

_She doesn't think… Oh, no it's not like that—_Kagome opened and closed her mouth. "No—"

Sakura giggled. "You guys totally had a _moment!"_

"I don't even know him—" Kagome floundered; giving up with a sigh. She hadn't been considering him so much as his reading material, not that she could explain what exactly the publication meant to her. As if anybody knew who Jiraiya was. Somewhere, hidden in the woods, she contemplated her own copy of Icha Icha Paradise with faraway eyes.

* * *

**A/N:** Okay, I think that's enough for today. Heh. Big thanks everybody.


	31. Charity Case

**Charity Case**

Naruto patted his full belly, but mourned his empty wallet as the large party filtered out of the restaurant. "That was awesome!"

"You can sure pack it away," Kagome teased.

Iruka chided. "Someone had to eat your share."

"Oh, uh… well—"

"Hey, that's right. You didn't eat anything, Kagome-chan." Naruto insisted.

The young woman ducked her head to her chest to coneal the frown on her lips. "It's okay," she promised, "I just can't be wracking up debts with the entire village. I wasn't going to eat if I can't help pay."

Iruka caught on. "There would've been a fee at the hospital."

"I worked something out with the nurse," Kagome explained carefully. _How embarrassing is this…_

"So… does that mean you're gonna stay awhile?" Naruto inquired, unable to hide some of his hopefulness.

She smiled softly. "Yes, I think so."


	32. Priorities

**Priorities**

"Iruka has an interesting sense of humor," Asuma remarked idly as he and Kakashi strolled through the village.

The silver-haired Jonin couldn't help but think he was hedging for something. "Indeed."

Asuma chuckled at his docile reply, cutting to the chase. "C'mon, Kakashi, you old dog!" he admonished, "Are you so serious now that you can't appreciate a pretty girl? I wouldn't mind strolling through town with her on my arm."

"Women are too much work," Kakashi sighed.

"Don't I know it, but they are nice to look at."

Conversation lulled and Kakashi clamped down on his wandering thoughts. He had no time for such diversions. Kagome was _not_ attractive. There. Done. Resolutely, he withdrew Icha Icha Paradise.

* * *

**A/N**: Mmmfff. Does anyone find Kakashi's character tricky to write? He's subtly hilarious (in the anime anyways), nonchalant, his dedication to the village makes him serious… writing his character will be a challenge, but it is one that I am up for! Happy Friday everybody.


	33. Revelation

**Revelation**

Kagome found herself lost in thought as she and Naruto traveled the road outside the village. For the first time in a long time, she felt like she was where she was supposed to be, although she couldn't pinpoint why. _What's my plan anymore? _The search for the grand adventure she'd always dreamed of as a child was quickly becoming usurped by the necessity that was self-preservation. How long could she keep going on looking for a magic mountain and her father who was maybe a novelist named Jiraiya? _  
_

Naruto coerced her out of her ruminations. "Ne, Kagome-chan?"

"Mm?" she hummed.

"I never asked before," he said, "When I found you… where were you coming from?"

"Nowhere, really," the young woman answered with a shrug.

"Don't you have a home? A family?"

Kagome smiled sadly. "Mama died two years ago." She decided to confide in the young boy. "I never knew my father, but I've been looking for him for a long time. It's why I travel."

Naruto nodded slowly. "Do you know where to look?"

"No clue," she sighed and kicked a pebble. "I don't know that much about him."

"Well!" he announced determinedly, "Let's brainstorm! What _do_ you know?"

"Mama says he liked toads and was a novelist," Kagome ticked off what she knew on her fingers. "He traveled around the country doing research."

Naruto went completely still, then stammered. "W-What's your dad's name?"


	34. The Sky is Falling

**The Sky is Falling**

As the idea began to take form in his brain, Naruto got a distinctly bad feeling. It couldn't possibly be true. It was just… The notion was so ludicrous, so unfathomable, that he could barely structure a coherent thought. Her father could be any man in the entire world, but the profile she was describing could only fit _one person_.

He waited with bated breath. Every cell in his body buzzed.

"Jiraiya, I think," she was looking up at the sky, beseeching it for answers. "Mama didn't like to talk about him much, and I never asked. By the time it actually mattered, it was too late. Honestly, I don't actually know, but I just have this feeling—" she rambled.

Naruto's stomach bottomed out. _N-No w-way. _He clutched the sides of his head, shaking it from side to side. He had to be crazy. "No…no,no,no,no—"

Kagome furrowed her eyebrows. "Are you okay—" she reached out to touch his shoulder.

Naruto erupted. "_THE PERVY SAGE?!"_

Birds scattered from the tree-tops.


	35. Intuition

**Intuition**

Kagome had to drop to her knees and rein Naruto in by grabbing the front of his jumpsuit and giving him a firm shake. "Naruto-kun! What are you talking about? Who or what is a Pervy Sage?"

He was having quite a peculiar reaction and it took her a moment to fathom why that might be. His response could only mean one thing. The name meant much to her, but seemingly, it meant something to him as well. Her grip slackened. "You know him," she whispered, "You know who Jiraiya is, don't you?"

Naruto nodded unintelligently, still supremely dumbstruck.

"Tell me," she begged. "Please! What do you know?!"

Her desperation finally seemed to reach him. He covered her hands with his. "He's a lot closer than you think, Kagome-chan."

* * *

**A/N:** I have to go to work, so here is one for now. I have lots of time later and I want to move past this little part, so expect a few more updates later on today! Also, thank you Fairy Demon26 for pointing out that error. I noticed it before and meant to fix it sooner!


	36. Found

**Found**

Naruto's steps slowed as they rounded a familiar bend in the road. Up ahead he recognized the bridge and knew they were in the right place. "This is right around where I found you. Your bag should be here somewhere."

Kagome nodded, feeling anxious. "I remember passing by here."

He jogged away and each of them set about poking through the underbrush that flanked both sides of the road. Kagome noticed the bright afternoon light was slowly waning into a warm green-gold that preceded the sun's descent. _Not much time. _

"Aha!"

Turning, she saw him pull her hefty pack out from the foliage and she sagged against the nearest tree with a grateful smile and dewy eyes. _Maybe my luck is about to change a little bit… thanks to you._


	37. Painting Pictures

**Painting Pictures**

It was ambitious, but they decided that they would try to make it back to Konoha for nightfall. A companionable silence stretched between them, until Kagome broke it when the need for some answers won out.

Softly she asked, "Naruto-kun?"

"Eh?" He looked up at her.

"Can you…tell me some more about him?" the young woman requested timidly.

Naruto chose his words carefully. _This means a lot to Kagome-chan. _It was true Jiraiya was the biggest pervert he'd probably ever met, but that wasn't what she needed to hear. It was the best to tell her the good things, and thus he began his tale. As they walked, he talked.

"Jiraiya is one of Konoha's Legendary Sannin…"


	38. Old Habits

**Old Habits**

"_PERVERT!"_

"_MOLESTER!"_

"_CREEPY OLD MAN!"_

Girlish shrieks and creative death threats followed the white-haired man out of the tavern. He scrambled on his wooden sandals to avoid the numerous items that were ferociously being aimed at his head. "Ladies, Ladies! You've got me all wrong!" he sulked in dismay.

Amidst the crowd, Iruka immediately recognized him and sighed. The whole square had quieted to watch. "It would seem Jiraiya-sama has returned. Presumably up to the same old tricks, too," Iruka remarked to his companion, shaking his head.

Beside him, Kakashi blanched. He might've agreed… if he didn't read his books.


	39. Oopsy Daisy

**Oopsy Daisy**

The pair made their way over to Jiraiya who was dusting off his robes, looking very unfazed by his failed attempts to secure a beautiful lady for the night. When he noticed them, he grinned. "Ah, Kakashi! Iruka!"

"Welcome back to the village," Kakashi greeted.

"Indeed, it has been many months. Something in the winds told me it was time to return. Tell me, how is the kid's training going?" Jiraiya glanced around idly. "I haven't seen Naruto since I arrived earlier today."

Iruka disclosed, "He's been training hard, but lately his attentions seem to be elsewhere."

Jiraiya listened with an interested ear. "Distracted from training? I can only think of _one_ thing that would distract me, but that kid is too hopeless to get a girlfriend," he laughed at his own joke.

"Believe it or not, it _is_ a girl, but Kagome-san's a little too old for him," Iruka replied, shaking his head with an exasperated smile. "Nonetheless they've been spending a lot of time together."

"_Older?" _Jirayia sidled up to the Chuunin with a gleam in his eye. "How old are we talking here?"

"Hm… In her twenty's I'd say…"

Jiraiya coughed; his eyes looked glossy. "I just forgot something I need to do. Please excuse me!" In a _poof _he was suddenly gone.

Kakashi put a hand to his head. "You probably shouldn't have told him that."


	40. On a Whim

**On a Whim**

Darkness had inked across the sky by the time they passed through the gates, but the village was still thriving with life. Now that they were back, Kagome wasn't certain what her next move was. Remaining in Konoha was a given, but that required somewhere to live. _I've imposed on Naruto too much already. _She considered the geographical proclivities of the village and supposed she could camp for a while until she found a job and could pay for a place. She had a tent. It would be good enough.

"Hellooo?" Naruto waved a hand in front of her face.

"Huh?" she blinked.

"Are you hungry?" he asked. Digging in his pocket he pulled out two slips of paper. "I've got coupons for Ichiraku's!"

On cue her stomach rumbled loudly and she blanched. "Apparently."

He gave an excited fist-pump, darting ahead up the set of stairs they were climbing. Cresting the top, she paused for a moment, a sign catching her eye. Konoha Hot Springs. She sighed dreamily. Naruto noticed that she'd fallen behind and retraced his steps. "Whatcha looking at? Oooh, the hot springs!"

Sliding her bag off her shoulder, she kneeled down to rummage through it until she found what she was looking for, extracting a small change purse. She bit her lip. She _did _have more than she'd thought, but she already felt guilty for even entertaining the idea.

"You're rich!" Naruto exclaimed. "Where did you get all that money?"

"For emergencies," she explained.

"Ehh… there's an emergency?"

Oh, what the hell. A couple nights wouldn't hurt. "Not an emergency… just an indulgence. You have ramen and I have hot springs."


	41. Eavesdrop

**Eavesdrop**

Naruto was hunched over his third bowl of ramen when Iruka ducked into Ichiraku's. Right away, he noticed the boy was without his new shadow and quirked an eyebrow. The two seemed inseparable. "You let Kagome-san out of your sight, did you?" he remarked teasingly.

Mouth full of noodles, the boy twisted to look at him and slurped them back. "Iruka-sensei! Good timing! I ran out of coupons!"

Iruka blanched. _All I'm good for these days is paying for his food… _Still, he pulled out his wallet from his vest. "Where's Kagome-san?" he inquired again.

Outside the curtains that waved in the breeze, a pair of wooden sandals paused as if something of interest was heard.

"Kagome-chan is at the hot springs," Naruto replied, breaking open a new set of chopsticks.

Iruka chuckled. "Don't let Jiraiya-sama find that out."

Noodles halfway to his mouth, Naruto snapped up. "The Pervy Sage is back?!"

The hangings flapped again and the sandals were gone, never noticed.


	42. Houston, We Have a Problem

**Houston, We Have a Problem**

Involuntarily, the tiny hairs on the back of Naruto's neck stood on end. Warily, he looked over his shoulder, feeling as if someone had been there. _Something doesn't feel right… _The last time he'd gotten 'the bad feeling' as he felt inclined to call it; Kagome had dropped a huge bomb on him. Now felt much the same.

"If Jiraiya's back in town…" he thought out loud to himself. _I can think of one place he'd visit for sure._

"Eh?" Iruka questioned. "Did you say something?"

"Where's the old letch?!" Naruto demanded hurriedly. "You saw him right? Did he say where he was going?"

Iruka was puzzled. "Well, I'm not really sure… He was asking for you earlier and I mentioned you were with Kagome-san. He all of the sudden disappeared after that, citing something he needed to do."

The bad feeling amplified. Naruto jumped out of his seat. "I gotta go!"

"Wait, Naruto! Where are you going?!"

"He doesn't know!" Naruto fretted with dismay. " Oh god, what if he spies on her?! That is _so _wrong! That _cannot_ happen!"

"Know what?"

"About Kagome-chan!"

"_What_ about Kagome-san?"

Naruto grabbed the front of Iruka's vest, talking a mile minute. "It's a bit of a long story but Kagome-chanmayormaynotbethePervySage'slonglostdaughter!"

Iruka listened hard, trying to decipher what he was saying. Then his eyes popped open. "EH?!"

* * *

**A/N:** I was hoping to tap out a couple chapters today, and I will, but my Mom's making me go do errands, so for now I'll post this... Stay tuned!


	43. Rumour Has It

**Rumour Has It**

The streets were beginning to thin as the hour grew later, however there were still enough people milling about to be a slight hindrance as Naruto and Iruka raced towards the hot springs. Zooming around the corner, Naruto nearly bowled over Kakashi who was taking an indolent stroll.

"Sorry, Kakashi-sensei!" he shouted over his shoulder, dashing away.

The silver-haired man stared off after him. At this hour, he wondered what could possibly have him so fired up. Moments later, Iruka rounded the bend, panting. "I'm getting too old for this," he puttered, bent at the waist with his hands on his knees.

"Too old for what exactly?" Kakashi inquired.

"There's been an interesting…development."

Kakashi raised his eyebrow. "It wouldn't happen to be about Kagome-san, would it?"

Iruka nodded. "Jiraiya-sama seemed pretty curious about Kagome-san today. She's at the hot springs now and Naruto has reason to believe Jiraiya-sama is there to—"

"Spy on her?" The jounin deadpanned. _Typical… but not all together catastrophic enough to warrant Naruto's level of urgency. There is something else._

Iruka finished. "…Right. The only thing is…" Iruka cringed. "Kagome-san might be his daughter."

Under his mask, Kakashi's jaw dropped.


	44. Voyeur

**Voyeur **

As relaxing as the hot springs sounded, and she was sure she would indulge in the luxury tomorrow, Kagome found herself wandering instead. She'd taken a stroll around the facility to check it out, and at the time the springs were a little too crowded for her liking. Right now, she needed the quiet to think, to take in all of the things that she had learned today. Slowly, pieces to a long-lost puzzle were coming together. The prospect was as much exciting as it was overwhelming. _He's so close and yet… _Part of her didn't really know what she would do when the time came.

Walking along a pathway that seemingly wrapped around the entire establishment, the high, wooden wall of the springs flanked her one side while the forest lined the other. Faintly, she could hear splashing and girlish giggles. Apparently it still hadn't cleared out. Up ahead the pathway curved and she followed it, but paused when she rounded the bend and a fair distance away she saw someone.

Ducking into the shadows that were creeping out of the woods, Kagome watched them curiously. It was a man, with the longest white hair she'd ever seen. Crouched, he had his face plastered right up against the wood. _What is he doing? _she wondered... at the same moment it took her to realize it. _Wait a second... t__hat's the women's spring… _Red hot indignation sparked in her veins. _He's peeping on them! _


	45. Encounter

**Encounter**

"Ohhhh baby, did I _ever_ hit the jackpot this time! Hohoho…" Jiraiya rejoiced to himself. There were many places where he could do his research, but the hot springs were always his favorite and most lucrative. It was the combination of the steam, rising up around their beautiful, supple bodies like a seductive mist and the water slewing down over them like a lover's caress. "Oh c'mon ladies, don't be shy…"

He nearly jumped out of his skin when there was a rustle in the bushes behind him. It was quite unbecoming of a shinobi of his caliber to be caught off guard, but when he glanced over his shoulder there was no one. It was all Tsunade's fault. He still had nightmares about that one time.

When he turned back it was too a blinding pain when something was cracked heavily over his skull. Wavering on his haunches and falling flat on his back, he stared up through the stars he was seeing to the young woman who was brandishing a sizeable stick and glaring impressively.

"Fell for the old throw a rock first trick, ne? You old lecher…" she seethed.

"Are you crazy?!" Jiraiya demanded. "What's wrong with you going around hitting people with sticks?!"

"What's wrong with _me?!" _she screeched. "YOU'RE PEEPING ON THOSE GIRLS! Good thing I decided not to take a soak tonight, it would've been ME you were spying on!"

* * *

A/N: I didn't want to be _too _predictable. I hope you guys are as excited as I am. Kekekeke.


	46. Proposition

**Proposition**

The pain from getting whacked over the head faded into a dull throb. His vision cleared and Jiraiya gave the young woman a once-over with more focused eyes… and they lit up. _My, my, my! Look at those legs! _He would never admit to anyone he really did have a one-track mind. Sure, she was nuts and attacked him, screamed at ungodly levels, but he chalked that up to a feisty personality. _Feisty is good. Ohhh yeah! I love them feisty! _

She eyed him warily, her grip minutely tightening on the stick.

Jiraiya stood and offered his most disarming smile. "I think we got off on the wrong foot. Let's forget all about this and start again, ne? A beautiful lady such as you deserves a handsome man to take her out. What do you say? The night's still young!"

She looked positively horrified. "Why do you _think_ we got off on the wrong foot? I don't just go hitting people with sticks, you know! You're nothing but a perverted old man and you deserved it!"

"No, no, no!" Jiraiya exclaimed, following after her when she turned on her heel and stalked off. "C'mon, baby! Don't play hard to get~!"


	47. Knights of Konoha

**Knights of Konoha**

_I'm almost there, Kagome-chan! _Naruto thought valiantly. Iruka and Kakashi were not a hair behind him, and he wondered if his silver-haired sensei was privy to the rather delicate situation. Nevertheless, it would be helpful to have reinforcements. He gathered chakra into the soles of his feet, prepared to vault right over the wooden dividers, when he was seized by the collar of his jumpsuit.

"Naruto…" Kakashi sighed, dropping him into a heap. "You can't just barge into the women's baths. Use your head would you?"

Naruto rubbed his chin. "You're right, Kakashi-sensei! You better go!"

"You're missing the point…" he said through gritted teeth and a small flush that was hidden by his mask. He gestured to all three of them. "If we do that, Kagome-san's privacy could be compromised even more so. Treat this like a mission. The situation is delicate. Discretion is paramount."

Naruto didn't seem interested in a lecture. "Well then what're we supposed to do?! Wait around for the lecher to spy on her?"

Just then, a voice echoed some way down the path. _"Will you quit following me?! Don't make me hit you again!"_

Iruka pointed in the direction of the shout. "That sounds like—"

"Kagome-chan!" Naruto cried.

* * *

**A/N:** All of you make me laugh so much. Ewwwww, is the majority of your remarks. I know, I know! I have a messed up sense of humor.


	48. Culmination

**Culmination**

Kagome savagely stomped down the pathway, growling under her breath. _I should've just minded my own business… just turned around and walked the other way, but nooo, just had to be my nosy self…_

"I can walk you home!"

Her eye twitched. "I have two legs. I can walk myself."

"It's late! I insist! Night time isn't always safe for a pretty woman. You never know who's prowling around. I can be your handsome bodyguard!"

"I'm pretty sure that the creep that's prowling around is you!" she hissed.

The man sighed, hanging his head. "At least tell me your name?" he whined.

_Not on your life, pal… _she thought with disdain, opening her mouth to dismiss him again. "I'm not telling you—"

"Kagome-chan!"

A moment later, an orange blur raced into sight and she nearly fell on her face. "Naruto-kun?! What're you doing here?" she exclaimed. Her first instinct was relief that he'd come to her rescue, however he'd just announced her name to the old lech, which was exactly what she'd been trying to avoid and she felt a lance of exasperation. His bright blue eyes locked on a point past her shoulder and she saw his face visibly pale.

"Wait," the man interrupted, "_you're _Kagome-san?" He was in front of her in a flash, his expression showing blatant interest and she stumbled back a step. Putting a hand to his chin, he amended, "I gotta hand it to you, kid; your new girlfriend's pretty cute! Got a bit of a temper though, ne?"

"Gahhh!" Naruto pulled at his hair, his eyes as wide as saucers, looking extremely horrified. "Stop! Pervy Sage you can't say anything more! Kagome-chan is _different! _She's your—_"_

The second that the name fell from the boy's lips, Kagome's heart stopped cold. Her windpipe closed and she failed to breathe, staring up into his face. _Pervy…Sage? I-It can't be... t-that's what Naruto calls…_

Kakashi and Iruka both skidded to a halt. "Jiraiya-sama!"

Numbly, the stick dropped from Kagome's grip and she went as white as a ghost. Over and over again, the name echoed in her head. Time grinded to a halt and in a faraway place in her mind where any thoughts at all could be comprehended, the last piece of a puzzle fell into place… along with another disturbing reality. "I-It's you…"

"Huh?" Jiraiya glanced around at them all, extraordinarily confused. "Kakashi? Iruka? What is everyone doing here?"

"I just… No way…" Black slowly seeped into her peripherals and Kagome hazily wavered on her feet. "… got hit on by my own Dad…" Her eyes rolled into the back of her head and her descent began.


	49. Worst Nightmare

**Worst Nightmare**

"Oh god… it happened… it _really_ happened…" Naruto whimpered, rocking and back and forth.

Jiraiya could faintly hear him, but it was as if he was under water. Everything was fuzzy; sounds distorted in his ears. His whole body wouldn't obey what his brain commanded it to do. His eyes could see her falling, but he was stuck back a few seconds in time, repeatedly reliving the words that had come out of her mouth.

_Dad. Dad. Dad. Dad. __**Dad—**_

On and on it kept going. The notion was so horrifying that his stomach roiled. There was no possible way that he was… Gods, he couldn't even bring himself to think the word. It was a sick joke; it had to be. _That's it! This is some genjutsu… to get back at me for peeping on women. Punishment for all of my sins! To think I would hit on my own daughter… if I had one… but who would've cast it? Certainly not the kid. Iruka? No… Kakashi? Would he participate in a ruse like this? The woman! Yes… it must be the woman, only she seems like a normal civilian… although she did sneak up on me… but I know all of the shinobi from this village… she's fracturing my psyche at this very moment! I'm going insane!_

Quickly, his hands snapped together in a hand-sign. "Release!" Opening his eyes, he recoiled in alarm. Everything was still the same. "What the devil is going on?! I released the genjutsu!"

Kakashi was in front of him with Kagome cradled in his arms, her head lolled against his shoulder. "Jiraiya-sama, this is no genjutsu. This woman claims to be your daughter."


	50. Level Head

**Level Head**

"Let's all just calm down…" Iruka suggested, moving to stand beside Kakashi. Looking down at the young woman, guilt festered. _This isn't probably how you imagined it, Kagome-san…_

The trees suddenly lit up with light as someone came down the path. "Who in the hell is making all of this racket?" They demanded. "I've got paying customers here!"

Jiraiya chose that moment to make his escape. In a poof, he disappeared. Naruto yelled his frustration, throwing his fist into the ground. "What a coward!" Looking at his sensei's, the boy frowned. "What do we do now?"

Kakashi sighed. "It's for the best. He needs some time to let this sink in. As for Kagome-san, she's not even conscious and it's her who needs to talk to him," he awkwardly shifted her weight in his arms as he searched her jacket pockets. Extracting a key, he delegated their tasks. "I'll take her to her room. Iruka, you should take Naruto home."

His pupil hesitated. "But—"

Iruka smiled gently. "Kakashi's right, Naruto. It's late and we won't find Jiraiya-sama tonight."

The boy argued some more, however eventually allowed himself to be led off, casting one more worried look over his shoulder. When they were out of sight, Kakashi sighed again, looking straight up to the moon. "How do I get myself into these situations…"

* * *

**A/N: **I can't believe I just posted the 50th chapter. When I started this story last month, I didn't even think it would get to this point. My sincerest and warmest thank you to everyone who has been sticking with me. You guys are the best!


	51. Understatement

**Understatement**

Kagome's eyes blinked open and she found herself staring up into Kakashi's half-covered face. "Um…" she mumbled unintelligently. Instinctively she wanted to move away, but found herself in his arms. Unwittingly, a blush stole over her face. _What happened? _She started to wonder, only for it all to come back, leaving her heart heavy. _He's gone. _

"I-I can walk," she directed a little breathlessly. Kakashi slid his arm from the crook of her knees, but his other arm lingered around her waist until she was steady on her feet. She looked up at him from under her lashes, shyly murmuring, "Thank you."

He glanced away and cleared his throat. "No problem." A short silence followed before he asked, "Are you feeling alright?"

Her smiled wavered, but she rallied. "I've waited a long time for that moment and it was a _complete_ disaster."

* * *

**A/N**: Weekends used to mean relaxation. Not the case anymore. I keep a part-time job while I go to school. Retail sucks the life out of my soul... Good thing I have fanfiction and all you awesome people! I'll tap a few chapters out tonight now that I seem to have a few hours to myself. Also, special thanks to Sugar0o who showers me with more praise than I deserve. :bow:


	52. Chin Up

**Chin Up**

Kakashi watched a myriad of emotions play over her face. Mortification, vulnerability, frustration, rejection; she was maintaining her composure well, but inside he imagined she wasn't nearly as collected. "Things will work themselves out," he told her, feeling like the assurance was too generic and void of any real sentiment. Vaguely, he wondered why her frown concerned him at all. Without thinking, he rested a hand on her shoulder. Her eyes widened slightly and her cheeks bloomed pink.

"You found him, whether it was by mere chance or because you were supposed to. Let that count for something." His speech coaxed a smile out of her, and this time it was luminous. Idly, he decided that it was much better; at the same time he realized that Asuma was right.

She really was quite pretty.


	53. Old Friend

**Old Friend**

The next morning, Kagome awoke with a groan. Someone was pounding on the door to her room and she wondered what time it was. "I'm coming, I'm coming…" she grumbled as she fought with the sheets tangled around her legs. Dragging her feet to the door, she opened it, almost to be plastered to the adjacent wall when Naruto dashed inside.

"Are you gonna sleep all day, Kagome-chan?" he admonished, "We have work to do!"

"Eh?" the young woman mumbled, rubbing sleep out of her eyes.

"We have to find the Pervy Sage!"

Kagome sighed, trying to remember Kakashi's pep-talk and let it help her maintain a positive outlook in the face of what she feared would be an imminent rejection. "Where do we even start looking?" she asked glumly. "Konoha's pretty big."

Naruto seemed to have it all figured out. "A tracker toad!" She watched with great curiosity when he bit his thumb, his hands flashing through a fast sequence of hand-signs. "Summoning Jutsu!"

An annoyed croak sounded in the whirling smoke. On the floor was a small toad, but his glare was impressive. "A kid? What the hell do you want?"

The voice was somehow familiar and with a flash of recognition, Kagome's breath hitched. "K-Kachi-san?"


	54. Memory Lane

**Memory Lane**

The toad swivelled his head when he heard his name. He didn't have too many acquaintances with humans besides the ones who had summoning contracts with the toads, and even still, his services weren't often called upon. He stared up into the young woman's hopeful face.

Unceremoniously, he was scooped up by the kid. "I've never seen you before," Naruto remarked with furrowed brows. "Kagome-chan, how do you know what his name is?"

Kachi squirmed. "Oi, put me down, you brat!" When his captor addressed the girl, he stilled. _Where have I heard that name before? _He thought hard, coaxing memories, and slowly, images flashed across his retinas. Rain puddles and a little girl. A promise over ten years in the making.

"Kagome?" he hedged.

She held out her hands and he hopped into them. When she brought them near her face, he scrutinized her closely. "Frogs don't talk," she accused fondly.

"Not a frog. A _toad," _he croaked with displeasure.

Kagome released the breath she'd been holding and smiled. "You _do_ remember."


	55. Good Books

**Good Books**

"Found him, boss." Pakkun grunted, pointing his paw.

Kakashi spotted Jiraiya in the corner of the dark tavern. "Ah, lovely. Good work, Pakkun." Reaching into his vest, he pulled out a dog treat, waggling it at the ninken who yipped eagerly. The pug disappeared in a poof, and Kakashi meandered over to the Sannin, sliding into the booth. "Isn't it a little early for libations?" he asked archly.

Jiraiya glared from under his eyebrows. "Don't bother me. My head hurts."

"You can't hide in here forever, you know."

"And why not? It's good business."

"Are you scared?" Kakashi pressed.

Jiraiya scowled. "What's there to be scared of? It's _not_ true. The girl's got some screws loose. She's mistaken me for someone else."

"But what if it is?"

"It's _not."_

Leaning forward slightly, Kakashi fixed him with a level stare, repeating. "But what if it _is?"_

The older man slunk down in his seat. "I can't be a…"

"Father?" Kakashi supplied cheerfully.

Jiraiya visibly shuddered. "Why're you sticking your nose in this anyways?" he complained. "Hoping to get in her good books?"

Promptly, the copy-nin fell silent.

* * *

**A/N: **Hehe, seems like Kakashi had the same idea as Naruto.


	56. Down to Business

**Down to Business**

Together, Kagome and Kachi filled a confused Naruto in on their association. The story was small, but still held a fond place in his memories. In turn, the old toad had some of his own questions. "Now, kid; you summoned me, so what is it that you want?"

Naruto cast Kagome a look. "We need help finding someone. I'm sure you know him."

Kachi started to wonder who that could be and then an idea blossomed. _Very interesting… _he mused. To put his theory to the test, he asked. "Say, who taught you the Summoning Jutsu? You're still young yet to have a technique like that under your belt."

Chest puffing out, Naruto grinned. "Jiraiya! You _must _know the great Toad Sage! You have to help us, okay!"

He listened to the kid boast but he was looking at Kagome. Her face looked hopeful and inside he felt something warm like satisfaction. It was almost like sun-bathing on the stones of Mount Myobuko. _So… she figured it out. _Out loud, Kachi said, "I imagined as much."

"How did you know?" Kagome interjected.

"Tell me, Kagome… Do you believe Jiraiya to be your father?"

She sat upright, gasping. "You knew?"

"It was a _hunch_," Kachi decreed, "but yes, I suppose the idea occurred to me all those years ago."

* * *

**A/N:** I feel like this is my first night off in forever. I'll post again later.


	57. Search Party

**Search Party**

Kachi was perched on Kagome's shoulder as the trio wandered through town. "Any luck?" she asked on a sigh. They had begun their search on the trail and after a couple hours, she decided they were wandering in circles. Naruto was ahead a few paces, his hands jammed in his pockets, kicking pebbles. _No use. I really scared him off, _she pondered with a frown.

The toad grumbled, "Scenting is trickier in these sorts of environments. There are many smells to sift through."

She swallowed her disappointment. "I understand, Kachi-san. Maybe we should take a break? Naruto's drooping and I think we've been in this square already."

The toad silently admitted that perhaps she was right. He'd got wisps of the man's scent, however it was as she said; they were seemingly just making rounds. Idly, he wondered how they could be behind him and yet they were ending up in the same place. _Unless… _Through the curtain of Kagome's hair, he scanned the crowd. _Ah, he's behind us. So you're curious after all, Jiraiya-sama._


	58. Cognizance

**Cognizance **

Teetering on the precipice of blatant denial versus the powerful stirrings of curiosity, Jiraiya was locked in a stalemate with himself. Having taken up stock in a lofty tree, he watched the pair, or at least what he'd thought was just the two of them at a cursory glance, but what turned out to be three.

Eyebrows rising in surprise, he applauded Naruto's tactic. Kakashi had technically beat him to it, having used his own summon to track him down, but he was pleased to see that the boy was using what he was being taught for practical purposes. As pride swelled in his chest, because really even if the road was slow-going, he believed that Naruto would be a formidable shinobi one day under his tutelage, it occurred to him that his relationship with Naruto was not so unlike a father and son. He never coddled the boy, though he could see that Naruto strove to please him… to make him proud, just like a son would… Seeing his protégé with the girl was enough to inspire some guilt.

Jiraiya focused on her more closely, finding himself intrigued when upon her shoulder he caught a glimpse of the toad. On sight he recognized Kachi and recalled his rather gruff demeanor. And yet they were speaking to each other with the easiness of a longstanding acquaintance. The fact that she seemed to have any affinity for the species at all should've been circumstantial, but he realized if he could acknowledge his relationship with Naruto, it was in him to acknowledge her.


	59. Respite

**Respite**

"Are you sure?"

"Definitely!" Kagome exulted to her young chaperone. "Since I'm going to be staying here awhile I should start trying to find things on my own." Plucking Kachi off of her shoulder, the young woman deposited the toad on top of his head. Naruto half-heartedly glared, Kachi croaked with annoyance, and she stuck out her tongue.

"I really don't mind showing you to the hospital…" he tried again, "I don't want you to get lost. And what about looking for the Pervy Sage?"

Craving the alone time, Kagome shook her head with a gentle smile. It had been somewhat of a relief to her when she'd remembered that she needed to go back to the hospital to square up with the nursing staff. It was a chance to steal away and be with her own thoughts for a little while, not to mention their search was yielding poor results, and she figured Naruto had to be getting bored.

"We'll take a break," she suggested. "You've been helping me so much with everything, Naruto-kun. And you too, Kachi-san. You should both go have some fun."

And that was that. Armed with basic directions to the hospital, she parted from them, although anyone observing the two as they watched her amble away would've concluded that they look like a sorry pair.

* * *

**A/N: **Hey everyone, sorry for the delay. School's been really busy. Accounting kills. Anyways, I'm off to an appointment, but afterwards, I intend to tap out a couple more chapters today.


	60. Butterflies

**Butterflies**

_Was it left? No… I think he said right... Gah, apparently wanting to be alone doesn't mean I __should__ be. _Kagome made a disparaging sound in the back of her throat. Trotting around the corner, she turned onto another avenue bordered by high wooden walls, only to walk right into someone.

"Oh!" she squeaked, stumbling back a step, "I'm sorry!"

Reflexively, Kakashi's hand shot out to grab her by the elbow. "Kagome-san," he said, "My apologies; I wasn't paying attention." Deftly, the little orange book in his other hand snapped shut and was tucked away.

_I keep running into him,_ she thought, gently tugging her arm back when his grip lingered. He started when she did so, and it inspired a blush on her face. He looked away and she idly watched him clench and unclench his hand as it dropped listlessly to his side. She didn't know why time seemed to slow down for a second, or why she remembered the night before, or why her stomach did a funny little flip-flop.

Absentmindedly, she rubbed her arm where his fingers had been, the skin tingling. "Erm, that's okay. I was in a rush."

"And where are you off to?" he inquired casually.

"The hospital. If I can remember which way I was supposed to go," she admitted sheepishly.

"Ah," he replied knowingly. "Well, I can tell you you're going the wrong way. If you would like an escort…?"

Opening her mouth to reply, she watched his one visible eye move to a point past her shoulder, at the same time that a hand fell down upon it.

"I'll take her," a voice interjected decisively.

* * *

**A/N:** Sorry that I lied yesterday. Got dragged out on an impromptu date by my boyfriend. And my best friend took up my afternoon. Poor thing, got blind-sided by a breakup this weekend and is quite a mess. I don't know why I tell any of you this, lol. ANYWAYS. 500 REVIEWS? HOLY SMOKES. You guys are amazing! I love you!


	61. Acquiescence

**Acquiescence **

"Huh?" Kagome tilted her head back trying to see the person behind her, but couldn't through her spunky bangs, so opted to actually turn around… and the shock that pierced through her felt like electrocution. She jumped away skittishly, her back bumping into the wall of Kakashi's chest.

In front of her, Jiraiya's face was the last she'd expected to see. He didn't look happy, he didn't look sad, he didn't look guilty. His lips were pursed into a thin line and if anything he looked… acquiescent.

"I…" Kagome sputtered. She didn't know what to say, or what the right thing to say really was. Gently, Kakashi's hands fell down on her shoulders and the weight brought her back a little bit. "I've… been looking for you," she finally murmured. _He's here... but why? Was he looking for me too?_ In her heart, a tiny seed sprouted against her better judgement. She didn't want to hopefulness she was experiencing to show on her face, but it probably was. _  
_

Maybe he noticed, maybe he didn't, Kagome couldn't quite tell. Time was still moving, but in her own little world it had seemed to stop as she waited breathlessly for some kind of acceptance.

"Come on," he directed, and then he turned and began walking.

She hesitated.

"Go," Kakashi's voice urged next to her ear, spurring her into action.

"W-Wait!" she called after Jiraiya as he disappeared around the corner. She ran, excitement in her veins. Casting one more look over her shoulder at Kakashi, there was a twinkle in his eye.


	62. Tongue Tied

**Tongue Tied**

Trailing after him, Kagome's mouth opened and closed many times as she stared at his powerful back. There were so many things she wanted to say, so many things that she could say, but somehow none of them seemed appropriate. She felt like an unwanted shadow eclipsing his own, and the twenty year gap between them actually felt like a physical presence that kept her from approaching his side and walking beside him.

Idly, she recognized the square that they were in, and that they had walked right passed the hospital. Steeling herself, she quickened her gait until she was adjacent to him. His eyes slid her way and she effectively lost her nerve. "Um… we walked right by the hospital."

The corner of Jiraiya's mouth turned up very minutely. "Handle your affairs later, for now we need to go somewhere."

Kagome was pleased at the 'we' part, and asked, "Where are _we_ going?"

Seemingly noticing her emphasis, he scoffed, and eagerness swelled inside of her. They had exchanged some words and things were going well. _Baby steps, _she reminded herself.

"We are going to see Tsunade."

Wracking her brain, Kagome came to her own conclusions. "Oh, right, the Hokage! Naruto-kun told me about her... kind of."

For some reason he didn't look enthused, and Kagome thought sadly that she didn't even know him and therefore couldn't venture a guess as to why. Pushing the thoughts away, they continued to walk and she didn't let herself stray behind.


	63. Bits and Pieces

**Bits and Pieces**

Jiraiya could barely keep the scowl off his face as they made their way through the Hokage Tower. This was mostly certainly going to be humiliating, however the desire to be sure of the girl's parentage before he proceeded in establishing a relationship was more important than his ego. It was true he could have had the test done at the hospital, but this way allowed a little more privacy… if the wretched woman kept her mouth shut.

They came to the correct door and Jiraiya raised his hand to knock.

Kagome's hand stopped him. "What exactly are we doing here? Tsunade-sama is a fairly important person."

The young woman had done most of the talking so far, and Jiraiya supposed he should stop being so tight-lipped even if he didn't have a clue what to say to her. "Tsunade is the most acclaimed medical-ninja the leaf village has ever seen, on top of being one of the three legendary Sannin, and most recently the Hokage," he explained. "She will be able to perform the test required."

Kagome listened intently. "One of the three Sannin…like you?" she asked with admiration.

Jiraiya was flattered in spite of the reservations he currently felt about the possibility of fatherhood. "You know about the Sannin?"

Her smile was small. "Naruto-kun told me a few things."


	64. Reluctance

**Reluctance **

The door opened and the Hokage's assistant gasped. "Jiraiya-sama! You've returned!"

"Shizune," he greeted.

Her eyes slid over to the pretty young woman accompanying him as Jiraiya made his way inside the spacious office. At her desk, Tsunade stood and rose over the precarious stack of paperwork in front of her and quirked an eyebrow. "When did you get back?"

"Ah, a warm welcome as always, Tsunade," Jiraiya retorted. The Hokage's eyes were already focused on a point behind him and he looked over his shoulder.

"You're with Jiraiya-sama?" Shizune was asking Kagome who lingered at the door. "You can come in."

Timidly, Kagome ducked her head and stepped further into the room. "Erm… thank you."

Crossing her arms under her ample chest, Tsunade questioned dryly, "Why're you bringing one of your girlfriends into my office?"

"This is Kagome," Jiraiya replied through gritted teeth, inwardly steeling himself. Now that he was aware of the possible relation between them, the previous nights exchange was disturbing and something he never wanted to think about again for obvious reasons. Even for him there was a limit to his perversions. "We've come to ask a favor of you."

"Kagome?" the Hokage murmured, "Naruto's little friend? Is the kid losing it? Why'd he let her go off with you?"

Jiraiya scowled, his shoulders bunching up as he glared under his brows. "Tsunade…"

She waved a hand. "What is it you want?"

Bracing himself for the impending humiliation, he said reluctantly, "A DNA test."


	65. Mirror Image

**Mirror Image**

Kagome's first impression of the Hokage was that she was very beautiful, and why Naruto would call her an old lady was lost on her. Secondly, she noticed the woman's rather large bust which had her discreetly rolling her eyes down to her own chest with a sad sigh. The last thing was that the woman had been laughing hysterically for longer than was probably necessary.

That annoyed her a little bit. Why was it so funny? Before she knew it she was bustling forward to stand beside Jiraiya, and planting her hands on her hips she glared. Sucking in a breath, she prepared to address the ridiculous woman when a hand fell down on her shoulder to stop her.

"Are you finished, Tsunade?" he asked with exasperation.

"Yes! Tsunade-sama, please control yourself!" Shizune admonished.

The woman's laughter slowly died away and she sat back down in her chair, small twitters still escaping. Perhaps realizing that it was out of character, she collected herself and prepared to inquire again as to the reason for their visit, because _really _Jiraiya being a father _had_ to be a joke, only to pause when she focused on the two of them side by side.

It couldn't be said that there was much of a resemblance; however their glares were one in the same.


	66. Promise

**Promise**

"The samples will have to be processed at the hospital," Tsunade explained, gesturing around the meager lab they'd set up as means of a private quarters within the Hokage Tower. "Shizune will be discreet."

Shizune gathered the blood samples, cheek swabs, and hair samples they had taken from the pair. It was certainly overkill, but they wanted to be sure. "I'll take them right now."

"I have some business at the hospital," Kagome interjected. "Do you mind if I join you?"

"Please do," Shizune agreed, curious to speak to the young woman about the rather surprising circumstances.

They prepared to leave, when Kagome turned and looked to Jiraiya expectantly. "You're not going to be difficult to find if I let you out of my sight, are you?"

He blanched. "Aren't I the adult here?"

Tsunade clapped her hand down on Jiraiya's shoulder with a grin. "I'll keep an eye on him."

Kagome smiled at the Hokage, but there was an undercurrent of vulnerability in her eyes that Jiraiya noticed. Awkwardly, he patted her on the head. "I'll be right where you left me."

* * *

**A/N:** Sorry it's been almost a week. I wish life would leave me alone, lol. I'll try to post again later since I actually seem to have some time to myself... every time that happens though, someone needs me for something.


	67. Coincidence

**Coincidence **

Naruto found himself in the park, sprawled out on a park bench while Kachi hunted flies in a nearby pond. It was terribly boring without his new friend. He sighed and wondered where she might have ended up; also pondering stopping by her room later on. He hated to be clingy, but it wasn't every day that he instantaneously became friends with someone.

A shadow fell over him.

"Naruto? Having a cat nap?"

The boy half sat up on his elbows. "Kakashi-sensei!"

Kakashi slid beside him on the bench as Naruto moved into an upright position, his visible eye crinkling in that way that eluded that he might be smiling under his mask. "You look to be deep in thought. That's unlike you," the silver-haired man commented.

Naruto's eyebrow twitched. "I think! I think all the time! Kachi's just having dinner and I'm waiting for him!"

"Kachi?" Kakashi queried, not placing the name. "Another new friend? You're becoming quite popular."

"Kachi is more Kagome-chan's friend," Naruto amended, "He's just a grumpy old toad I got stuck with while she went to the hospital. That was _hours _ago, though." As an afterthought, he added, "I hope she didn't get lost…"

"A toad? Interesting…" Kakashi murmured.

Naruto glanced at him, quietly confiding. "As _weird_ as it is… to think the Pervy Sage could be her Dad… I want it to be true, just so she stays."

The copy-nin made a noncommittal sound in his throat, his mind wandering. His latest encounter with the young woman had been interrupted, and even as he thought about her, his thoughts were disturbed when a voice floated along the breeze.

"Naruto-kun!"

The pair glanced down the walkway, and Kakashi straightened at the sight of the young woman. _Speak of the devil._

* * *

**A/N: **Sigh... too many glasses of wine, distracted by all the hockey games... and I need to write a paper tonight that's due tomorrow lol. I love procrastination.


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